


a year in the life

by leiascully



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-10-21
Updated: 2003-10-21
Packaged: 2017-10-03 07:26:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leiascully/pseuds/leiascully
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twelve drabbles for 2004.</p>
            </blockquote>





	a year in the life

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Selected lyrics from Damien Rice's "Delicate".  
> Disclaimer: _The West Wing_ and all related characters are property of Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme, and NBC. No profit is made from this work and no infringement is intended.

**January**

Toby's beard prickled as he kissed her, and neither of them closed their eyes. Over his shoulder, CJ could see Josh and Donna sharing a swift surreptitious kiss as the chimes faded.

"Why do they beat around the bush?" she said rhetorically, putting her head down on his shoulder as they danced.

"Didn't we?"

She sighed. "How's Andi?"

"Recalcitrant as always. But at least she took the house."

"Romance is dead, Toby."

"It's a new year, Claudia Jean. Show a little optimism."

"Hypocrite." She smiled as they swayed under the dim lights in the White House ballroom. "Happy new year."

 

**February**

"Long-stemmed roses?" Josh eyed the bouquet on Donna's desk. "Impressive. Who sent them?"

"Sam?" she said.

"Is that a guess?" He leaned on her desk. "Is there a card?"

"No, I mean, yes, there's a card, and they're from Sam, but I don't know why he sent them."

"You're a beautiful woman. It's Valentine's day. Does he need another reason?"

"I guess not." She put her face near the roses; the reflected colour made her look as if she were blushing. "They're gorgeous."

Josh's computer beeped. The email read "No encroachment intended. You know you ought to tell her. Sam."

 

**March**

She had pinned a "Kiss me, I'm Irish" button to her scarf, but she didn't wear it through the West Wing. When t hey ventured into the chilly wind to find lunch, he was sorely tempted to follow through: her eyes sparkled and her cheeks were pink with cold as she talked about her sister's impending marriage.

She'd need a date, he said casually, when was it?

May - and suddenly shy - could he come with her, maybe?

Champagne, he thought. Dancing and dessert and Donna 'til death parts. His hand was reaching for her when the cellphone rang: Amy and her languid voice.

 

**April**

It was a late night, waiting for Leo to come and get him for the President's call. He had a beer in one hand and Sam on the speakerphone.

"Just ask her out," said the amused disembodied voice. "Unless you're afraid that Leo will break you up on principle."

"It's not that we're scared," Josh said, gesturing a bit wildly with the bottle. "It's just that it's delicate. The situation requires finesse."

"Well, then you're doomed."

"Hey!" His eyes caught a flicker of movement. "Donna? I thought I sent you home."

She shrugged.

"Hey, Donna."

"Sam?"

"Kiss this guy for me, would you?" And dialtone.

 

**May**

She risked a glance into the crowd that nearly filled the pews. Josh looked handsome in his tux. Their eyes met briefly. She looked back at her incandescent sister and tried not to blush. Her parents would grill him about the Bartlet administration and she'd have to face the usual ten rounds of questions about why she wasn't married and when was she going to find a good man and settle down like her sister, who just today was marrying a doctor. Working in the White House, couldn't she find a lawyer or a military man?

He would smile.

 

**June**

Amy was sitting on Donna's desk when he came out of the office bellowing Donna's name. He jumped, startled, and then paused to look them over as they cooly returned the gaze.

"Is this some kind of female conspiracy?" Dark and bright: he admired the contrast.

"Trade secrets," said Amy, crossing her legs. "So you think I should talk to Will?"

"Absolutely," said Donna. "Will's your man on this one."

"Thanks," said Amy. She slid off the desk and sauntered away, hips swaying. Josh couldn't stop from looking after, short skirt and tanned legs, but it felt almost wrong.

 

**July**

It was hot. Donna propped the windows open and hoped for rain. Of course the air conditioning had to go out this weekend, when everyone in their right mind was out of the city, but the possibility of work had kept her here, taking half hour cold showers and listening for the phone.

The doorbell rang instead. Josh stood there in a t-shirt and shorts with a snowcone in each hand.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"I was in the neighbourhood. Can I come in?"

"Liar," she said, standing aside.

"Yeah," he said lazily, "but I did bring your favourite."

 

**August**

"What's this?"

"An invitation," sad Donna, unconcerned.

"To what?"

"A dinner party," said Toby. "Andi and I are giving a dinner party. I'm supposed to tell you that this does not mean she's agreed to marry me again."

"How are Andi and the kids?" said Josh, leaning against Donna's desk.

"Uncivilised hooligans, all three of them," said Toby, but he couldn't stop a smile from breaking across his face. "So you'll be there?"

"Oh yeah," said Josh. "With bells on."

"Donna?"

"We'll be there," said Josh. She looked up at him questioningly.

"What about Amy?"

"Not her kind of thing."

 

**September**

Her eyes were rimmed with red as she handed over the files, but her face was dry. He squinted at her.

"Donna? Are you okay?"

"Fine," she said, but it came out strained instead of breezy.

"No, you're not. Sit down." He ushered her into his chair.

"I love my job," she said, hands twisting in her lap.

"No one's contesting that."

"My sister's pregnant. You know, the one who got married."

"Yeah, I was there. For the wedding. That's great."

"We've been here what, six years? And so many days I love this job, but..."

He touched her face.

 

**October**

Halloween. Amy lithe in a cat suit, her mouth tasting of candy corn and alcohol. Amy, dark hair swinging as she beckoned him. He'd drunk too much, far too much, but he could never estimate accurately the effect that champagne or mixed drinks had on him. And she was intoxicating in her own right, certainly. The evidence offered by her hips as she pressed him into the wall was compelling; he was at a loss to formulate an argument until

"Amy? Will?" Josh's voice.

Josh didn't know who he'd called until he woke on Donna's couch and it wasn't October anymore.

 

**November**

November was cold. February was supposed to be the coldest month, maybe, but February had been long warm friendly nights in the West Wing, work to occupy his mind, Andi letting Toby move into the house, Amy dropping by late to tempt him home. Now there was nothing but the snow on the windowsill and the blue glare of his computer screen. For some reason, he couldn't stop typing over what he'd already written and he needed Donna but wasn't she already gone?

"Dammit!"

"Don't bang on the keyboard, Joshua." She tapped something; her hair brushed against his face like spring.

 

**December**

When the President toasted, everyone raised their glasses, though Toby abandoned champagne when Molly fussed.

"To health, to love, to families we build - that's all of you kids," said Jed, grinning. Everyone drank. The Residence was full of music and laughter. The twins were walking now.

"They'll be asking for the car keys next," Josh joked. "Well done, you two." He watched Donna bounce Huck on her lap. She smiled when she caught his eye and passed the baby to CJ.

"Hey."

"Are you standing under the mistletoe on purpose?"

"What?"

She kissed him and he leaned gladly against her.


End file.
